Financial Aid Question (semi-urgent!)

Parents Forum
1

<p>Hi, I'm not really sure if this is the right forum but...i figure since you are parents that you will probably know the answer. </p>

<p>i won't qualify for need based money at any school, so i wasn't plannning of doing the whole FAFSA thing. so i have two questions.</p>

<p>1) do i have to file the FAFSA in order to be considered for merit money?
2) if i don't do FAFSA this year, and my situation changes next year (my sister may decided to go to college) can i file the FAFSA when i'm a Freshman? </p>

<p>thank you very much!</p>

2

<p>The answers to both your questions vary by institution, so go straight to the source and ask the schools that you've applied to. Good luck in the merit hunt!</p>

3

<p>For many schools if you don't do FAFSA this year you can't do it next year. For the merit money question it varies from school to school. I would just go ahead and do it this year.</p>

4

<p>^^^yes. If you hope to gain institutional aid at any time (merit or need), you should probably fill out the FAFSA.</p>

5

<p>argh!! i was hoping that i wouldn't have to do that, but thanks!</p>

6

<p>The policy varies by school. You should also check to see whether your schools require the CSS Profile for merit aid as well. Some do.</p>